1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a refrigerator, and more specifically, to an apparatus that prevents ice cubes from sticking to each other in an ice tray of a refrigerator having an ice making apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
A refrigerator is a box-shaped appliance for storing food at a low temperature to keep the food fresh. Home refrigerators also may include a freezing apparatus for freezing water or food. A home refrigerator generally relies on vapor compression using a motor and a compressor installed in a sealed container to provide cooling and freezing, particularly, as a liquid coolant flows from the compressor through an expansion valve to an evaporator such that cooling is performed.
As life styles have changed, refrigerators have grown bigger so that they may retain more food. So-called “side-by-side” type refrigerators having both a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment laterally separated from each other have gained popularity for home refrigerators. Further, refrigerators have developed a diversity of functions and designs.
Generally, a refrigerator may have an ice making apparatus for making ice and a dispenser through which cool water or ice may be dispensed to the outside without requiring a user to open the doors of the refrigerator. The ice making apparatus stores ice cubes made by an ice maker in an ice bank that is a container for retaining the ice cubes, and as manipulated by a user, sends the ice cubes stored in the ice bank to the dispenser through an ice chute. To be able to provide ice cubes whenever a user desires, the ice bank is filled with lots of ice cubes. Heat exchange may occur due to a difference in temperature between ambient air and the ice cubes or air flowing in from the outside, causing the ice cubes to stick to each other. Suck sticking phenomenon hinders the ice cubes from being down to the dispenser through the ice chute.
In particular, when cold air supplied to the ice maker for ice making flows in the ice bank through a path for conveying ice cubes made in the ice maker, ice cubes stored in the ice bank may be more prone to stick together.